Although it has never been seen in action, the waverider can be readily identified in the MSD of a Nova-class vessel. The craft's aerodynamic shape suggests that this craft is designed for operating within a planet's atmosphere, and as a result probably lacks both impulse and warp engines. It is conceivable that a vessel would require such a craft when it is necessary to land on the surface of a planet whose atmospheric conditions make it far too hazardous to use transporters or traditional shuttlecraft. (Star Trek: The Magazine)